Labelling machine

ABSTRACT

A labeling machine having primary and secondary label feed assemblies provided in the present labeler with a common source of intermittent power for feeding labels that can be selected to actuate either assembly from a reciprocating power driven member through over-running clutches to give a positive label feeding movement without and to prevent backlash to the label pack supporting and feeding elements. The assemblies may operate independently of each other or/and in an interdependent manner to maintain the top or operating label pickup level of the label pack at a substantially constant operating level. With the present label feed mechanism the operating of the labeler may be continuous without the necessity to stop the labeling operation when introducing a fresh pack of labels to the machine. The primary label pack feeding mechanism stops automatically upon the exhaustion of the labels of the pack. The secondary label pack feeding mechanism also stops automatically upon reaching a predetermined feeding height rather than to a point of complete exhaustion of its respective labels or label pack to prevent breakdown clashing between the primary and secondard feeding mechanisms.

limited States Neer [451 Jan. 22, 1am

LABELLING MACHINE Clifford I'll. Neer, Baltimore, Md.

Burt Machine Company, Incorporated, Baltimore, Md.

Filed: Dec. 24, 1969 Appl. No.: 888,092

Related US. Application Data Division of Ser. No. 605,279, Dec. 28, I966, Pat. No. 3,648,823.

Inventor:

Assignee:

U.S..Cl 156/363, 156/455, 156/566, 156/570, 156/573 Int. Cl. 1865c 9/42, B65c 9/12 Field of Search 156/455, 566, 569-572, 156/573, 362364 [5 6] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 10/1969 l-luthinson..... 156/570 X 5/1965 Mattingly et al..... 156/573 X 9/1971 Laub l56/445X l/1953 Hesson 156/363 Primary Examiner-Philip Di er Attorney, Agent, or Firm-J. Wesley Everett; George L. Brehm [57] ABSTRACT A labeling machine having primary and secondary label feed assemblies provided in the present labeler with a common source of intermittent power for feeding labels that can be selected to actuate either assembly from a reciprocating power driven member through over-running clutches to give a positive label feeding movement without and to prevent backlash to the label pack supporting and feeding elements. The assemblies may operate independently of each other or/and in an interdependent manner to maintain the top or operating label pickup level of the label pack at 1 a substantially constant operating level. With the present label feed mechanism the operating of the labeler may be continuous without the necessity to stop the labeling operation when introducing a fresh pack of labels to the machine. The primary label pack feeding mechanism stops automatically upon the exhaustion of the labels of the pack. The secondary label pack feeding mechanism also stops automatically upon reaching a predetermined feeding height rather than to a point of complete exhaustion of its respective labels or label pack to prevent breakdown clashing between the primary and secondard feeding mechanisms.

5 Claims, 56 Drawing Figures PATENTED MVP-15174 sum 02 0F 23 PATENTEB JAN 2 21974 SHEET DBUF 23 PATENIEU JAN 2 2 I974 SHEET NW 23 

1. In a can labeling machine having a substantially horizontal runway for supporting cans, means for supporting a pack of labels, comprising primary and secondary label pack supporting and feeding means, means extending over the runway for feeding the cans over the labels of the pack, means for applying glue to the cans to cause the cans to initially pick up the labels when passing over the label pack, the secondary label pack supporting and feeding means comprising of pair of pivotally supported and downwardly yielding, horizOntally extending arms, each having a plurality of label pack supporting members adjustably attached thereto, the outer ends of the arms being free with their opposite ends having engagement with abutment means, to prevent the arms from swinging upward, the pivotally supported ends comprising downwardly directed arms having at their ends and in engagement with means for applying predetermined outwardly directed spring pressure against the ends of the downwardly directed arms for purposes of providing yielding action to the horizontal arms when supporting a label pack, means for pivotally supporting each pair of horizontal and downwardly directed arms comprising a complementary pair of transverse sliding brackets, each having upper and lower bearings for bearing and sliding engagement with a pair of complementary upper and lower transverse supporting bars therefor, the brackets being in lateral spaced relation to each other, means for feeding the secondary label pack supporting means comprising a toothed rack bar fixedly carrying at its upper end a bracket having fixed engagement with both the upper and lower transverse supporting bars for the pair of transverse sliding brackets mounted thereon, end guide bars for the label pack at the label pickup end of the pack, attached at their respective upper ends to screw follower brackets threadedly engaged to right and left hand threaded halves respectively of a transverse adjustable screw members, means fixedly attached to each of the screw follower brackets and slidably engaged vertically with the transverse sliding brackets for simultaneously moving the secondary label pack supporting arms and the said end guide bars for the label pack in a lateral direction and for a distance suitable for supporting and guiding a label pack of a particular width upon turning the transverse adjustable screw member, the said feeding means including a rotatable shaft for operating the label supporting means relative to the said runway, an oscillatable over-running clutch for rotating said shaft, and a stationary over-running clutch positioned in the opposite direction on said shaft for preventing backlash of said shaft.
 2. In a can labeling machine having a runway for supporting the cans, a feed belt movable over runway for feeding the cans through the machine, means for supporting and guiding the cans while being fed through the machine comprising, means for picking up labels by the cans and means for applying the labels to the cans as they are fed through the machine, a label table for supporting a pack of labels, means for feeding the label table and labels towards the ways for replenishing the top labels as they are consumed by the passing cans comprising an oscillating overrunning feed clutch and a non-oscillating, non-feeding over-running shaft locking clutch positioned on the same shaft with the oscillating overrunning feed clutch having means to prevent backward rotation of the feed shaft, means for engaging and disengaging means for oscillating the overrunning feed clutch from the driven portions of the machine, means for starting the feeding oscillations of the overrunning feed clutch and also starting the feeding movement of the label table when there is a need for more labels to be moved up to a pickup position for the cans, being fed through the machine means for stopping the oscillations and the feeding movement of the label table when the need has been satisfied, comprising spring actuated depressable means positioned in the path of the passing cans, means for moving the depressable means down for a predetermined distance as the labels are consumed for releasing the engaging means for starting the oscillations of the overrunning feed clutch to feed the label table with its label pack upward sufficiently to substantially replace the consumed labels, spring actuated means for returning the depressable means to normal raised position upon the replacement of the said consumed labels with means for stopping the feeding oscillations of the oveRrunning feedclutch and the feeding movement of the label table.
 3. In a can labeling machine having a runway for supporting cans, a feed belt for feeding cans through the machine, means for guiding the cans, comprising means for supporting and feeding the labels comprising a primary support and feed for a label pack consisting of a label table and a secondary support and feed for the label pack comprising a pair of yieldingly supported extending arms having label pack engaging and supporting means positioned on the arms, the primary and secondary feed means comprising a hand operated clutch for each of the feeds, means for actuating the feeding function of either the primary or secondary label supports comprising feed control spring actuated members positioned in the path of the cans, normally held in raised non-feeding position and providing means for starting the upward feeding of the labels by either the primary or secondary supports upon contact by the overrunning cans being fed through the machine causing the feed control members to be depressed sufficiently to release a feed locking means for both the primary and secondary feed, means whereby upon operative engagement of either of the said respective hand clutches that respective primary or secondary label support will be fed upward that is identified with the respective engaged hand clutch, means for and whereby upon the effective replacement of previously consumed labels by either the primary or secondary feed action causing an increase in the height of the label pack in the path of the cans, the cans are prevented from bearing down on the said spring actuated feed control members allowing these members to return to their original raised position, said raised position of the members providing means for reengagement of the feed locking means for both the primary and secondary feed and stopping the respective feeding action of either the primary or secondary respective feed that is in engaged feeding position with its respective hand operated clutch.
 4. In a can labeling machine having a feed belt for feeding cans through the machine, means for supporting, guiding and labeling the cans as they pass through the machine comprising power driven label feeding means for intermittently feeding labels into the path of the cans comprising label pack supporting means, can actuated depressable means positioned in the path of the cans and along the can supporting means over which the cans travel and having raised and lowered positions, with means for being returned from lowered to raised position, the depressable means starting the label feeding means upon the depressable means being depressed to a given point by the cans and depletion of the labels and stopping the label feeding means upon the said depressable means rising to its original raised position upon the instant demand for more labels being satisfied, and the label feeding means comprising primary and secondary label pack feeding means including a rotatable shaft for operating the label supporting means relative to the can supporting means, an oscillatable over-running clutch for rotating said shaft and a stationary over-running clutch positioned in the opposite direction on said shaft for preventing backlash thereof.
 5. In a can labeling machine having a feed belt for feeding cans through the machine, means for supporting, guiding and labeling the cans as they pass through the machine comprising, power driven label feeding means for intermittently feeding labels into the path of the cans comprising label pack supporting means, can actuated depressable means positioned in the path of the cans and over which the cans travel and having raised and lowered positions, with means for being returned from lowered to raised position, the depressable means starting the label feeding means upon the depressable means being depressed to a given point by the cans and depletion of the labels and stopping the label feeding means upon the said depressable means rising to its oRiginal raised position upon the instant demand for more labels being satisfied, the said label feeding means comprising primary and secondary label feed assemblies actuated and controlled by the said depressable means, each of said assembly having rack and pinion members for actuating the feeding function of the said label pack supporting means, each pinion fixed to separate shafts, each of the shafts having a pair of over-running clutches, one of said clutches of each pair being operatable and means for operating said clutch and the other over-running clutch of each pair of clutches being stationary and in reversed position on said shaft for preventing backlash of the respective shafts. 